Scores and Standings
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SALT LAKE CITY (June 15, 2018) – Two days of play remain at the 2018 US Youth Soccer Far West Presidents Cup after quarterfinals took place Thursday at the Salt Lake City Regional Athletic Complex in Salt Lake City, Utah. Of the 187 teams who started in the tournament, the dreams of 56 remain alive entering the weekend’s semifinals and finals.
Of the teams left, four are returning for their second straight trip to the semifinals - 14U Boys FC Nova Gold 04 (ID), 15U Boys Boise Nationals Timbers 2000 Blue (ID), 17U Girls Broomfield Blast SC Magista (CO) and 18U Boys Barcelona AZ 00 (AZ) .
14U Boys FC Nova Gold 04 (ID) made it to last year’s semifinals before dropping out in a 2-1 loss and their Head Coach, Gavin Kempe, talked about what it means to be back and how this year is different for his players.
"For tomorrow, the difference is that they've been there before and had this experience of knowing what the next 24 hours of recovery looks like and what to expect going into tomorrow, said Kempe. "They're going in on a confident high especially the way they played and won today."
Kempe continued by talking about how teams at the regional level can't take their opposition lightly.
"I think we learned in group play that when we step across the white lines that we're playing in a regional event and it doesn't matter who the opponent across from us is," continued Kempe. "Our level has to be the same and we have to play to our own standards instead of anyone else's because that's where success will come from. Win or lose - when they play that way - they come off the field knowing they can look in the mirror and say we did what we should be doing."
Notes from a few of today’s games:
14U Boys
FC Nova Gold 04 (ID) defeated Group D winners Selma Jamay FC 04 (CA-N), 2-0, to earn a spot in tomorrow’s semifinals. Nova’s Alex Barragan almost gave his team the lead early when he dribbled through a slew of defenders but blasted his shot wide. Kyle McAllister gave FC Nova the lead heading into the half when he found the net in the 35th minute. Barragan doubled the Idaho side’s advantage early in the second half to give Nova a two-goal cushion. Selma Jamay battled to pull one back but could not get anything going. The closest chance in the second half came of a freekick chance. Selma’s keeper, Jose Segovia, came up the field to take the kick and hit a rocket of a shot that went wide left. Nova’s defense held through the final whistle and the team now heads to its second straight Far West Presidents Cup Semifinals.
16U Boys
SMUFC 2002 Blue (CA-S) used three first half goals on its way to a, 3-1, win over Cook Inlet S.C. 02 (AK). SMUFC got the scoring started in the 13th minute when Taylor Strijdveen got through the defense and hit a hard strike to the bottom corner. Alaska’s keeper got a hand on the attempt but could not push it wide of the post. Alejandro Lopez doubled SMUFC’s lead nine minutes later when he received a pass through the middle and flicked a shot past the onrushing keeper. SMUFC increased its lead to three going into the half thanks to a late Bernard Liebeskind goal. Cook Inlet got a consolation goal in the 62nd minute when Chlares Norman found the back of the net but could not replicate that again in the second half. SMUFC held on for the 3-1 win and heads to tomorrow’s semifinal match.
18U Boys
Boise National Timbers 2000 Blue (ID) needed overtime to complete its, 4-3, victory over LVSA 00 Red (NV).The game was a tug of war of goals with Boise starting the scoring in the 5th minute thanks to Sami Marquez. Jonathan Perez leveled the score for LVSA just ten minutes later but Boise would again take the lead at the end of an Armin Hasanovic finish. The Nevada team equalized right before halftime with Tony Olivas finishing his chance to level the score. The back and forth continued in the second half as Boise pulled ahead to a, 3-2, lead in the 56th minute. Just six minutes later, Zechariah Ruffer once again pulled LVSA level. The game headed to overtime after neither team could find the back of the net again during regulation. Ryan Gamboa scored in the 112th minute of play to give Boise the lead and then the Idaho team held on through the final whistle to earn a spot in the semifinals.
13U Girls
Real Colorado Red (CO) earned its way into the 13U Girls semifinals with its, 4-1, victory over Group A winners Rainier Valley Slammers 05 (WA). Each of Real Colorado’s first half goals came from great passing sequences to lead to the finish. Real Colorado took a 1-0 lead in the 15th minute when the ball was worked to Courtney Rowe who floated a cross across goal to Ava Warren who headed home from close range. Colorado increased its advantage ten minutes later off another cross as Keely Walsh hit a ball that found Courtney Rowe at the far side for a goal. Colorado started strong in the second half with Ava Warren adding a second goal to bring the advantage to 3-0. Slammers pulled one back in the 47th minute with a Samiah Shell goal but Keel Walsh answered for Real Colorado seven minutes later to keep Colorado’s three-goal cushion. Colorado kept Slammers off the board for the rest of the match and earned a 4-1 victory and a spot in the semifinals.
15U Girls
Swat Crush Black MM/JA (UT) and Scottsdale Soccer Blackhawks (AZ) needed overtime to settle the match that ended, 3-2, in favor of the Arizona side. Swat struck first in the first half thanks to Elle Burton’s third goal of the tournament. Scottsdale settled down in the second half and started moving the ball much quicker and providing early pressure on the ball. Hannah Kilroy finally equalized for Scottsdale in the 79th minute to send the game into overtime. Swat pressed high and fast in the first overtime period and ended up hitting the post on a freekick opportunity and then had another chance saved by Delaney DeBusk in net. Scottsdale pulled ahead in the second overtime period as a ball fell to Emily Robbins. Robbins settled and then hit a ball into the upper left to give Scottsdale the lead. Swat had a great opportunity to level late when a Utah player cut into the left side of the box and hit a great shot. An equally impressive full stretch save by Delany kept the shot out of the net and kept Scottsdale in the lead. The Arizona side held on for the 2-1 victory and move one step closer to a National Presidents title.
17U Girls
Broomfield Blast SC Magista (CO) is headed back to the semifinals after its 2-1 overtime victory over United Santa Clarita. Santa Clarita jumped out of the gate quickly and took the lead just two minutes into the game. Justice Jones scored her first game of the tournament to give her team an early 1-0 lead. Broomfield’s Audrey Herrald equalized in the 29th minute to keep the score tied headed into halftime. Broomfield had a couple of good chances in the second half to seal the deal but hit the post on a chance and then had a close range opportunity stopped by the Santa Clarita keeper. The two teams exchanged possession in a back and forth overtime but the first good look came to Broomfield after a great cross by Nicole Oelker. The onrushing Broomfield player put the ball over the target from close range and the score remained even. Just a few minutes later, Denae Lamb got the ball and hit a nice shot from the left side to the back post to give Broomfield the lead. Santa Clarita could not find an equalizer and now Broomfield faces Pride Predators 01 (CO) in tomorrow’s semifinals.
Notes from 12U National Championships Series:
12U Boys
The 12U Boys semifinals will see Total Futbol Academy (CA-S) match up against fell Cal South side Pateadores PYL-2006 White (CA-S). Total Futbol Academy has score 18 goals in its four games but will face a Pateadores team who is tired for the second least amount of goals against in the age group. In the other semifinal, Tuzos Academy (AZ) faces LVSA 06 White (NV). Tuzos secured a clean sheet in its game today and will look to ride both it defensive strengths into the final.
12U Girls
Three of the four remaining teams - Legends FC 06, San Diego Surf Select 06 and LA Galaxy Southbay - are from Cal South. The other team remaining, Albion 06 EB (NV), hails from Nevada and was the group winner of Group C. Each of these teams have shown the capability to score with a combined goal total of 74 during preliminary play. Not a goal was scored against the four remaining teams during semifinals so we will wait until the semifinals to see who will crack first as the teams battle it out for a spot in Sunday's final.
For complete event results for the Far West Presidents Cup, click here. For more information on all US Youth Soccer Regional and National Presidents Cup events, visit the US Youth Soccer Presidents Cup Homepage at www.usyouthsoccer.org/presidents-cup.
Note: The US Youth Soccer Presidents Cup is a separate series of events from the US Youth Soccer National Championship Series.